The Reckoning of Nelliel and Esteban

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Eventually, after gathering his thoughts, and recovering enough to speak comfortably next, Esteban locked his eyes with Nelliel and finally said, "Woman, you seem pretty upset. I can understand your anger, but those four I killed first were just trash, no reason to worry over them really...",

"And that funny-looking one with a scythe... He had been secretly eyeing you with ill intent and I caught a glimpse of it. His demise is a relief for you, not a cause for sorrow. Who knows what that maniacal idiot like that could've done to you laying waste to such striking beauty and amazing strength, one day, it would truly be a great pity then...", He voiced with a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth, a hint of flirtation mingling with his serious tone.

Nelliel seemed taken aback by his flirtatious tone, clearly uncertain how to respond. It was a new experience for her, and she appeared to need a moment to gather her thoughts. However, the solemnity returned quickly, and she answered him with a determined glare.

"Even if they were strange, even if they were weak, they were still my teammates...", She said, her voice carrying a tone of deep animosity, "The pain of their loss is real, and it won't be eased by your words. There will be no reconciliation. Our Lord and us the remaining Espada will deal with you one day, that I promise."

As she spoke, Nelliel had a sudden realization. Esteban had noticed Nnoitra's hidden malice, something she had always shrugged off, viewing him as too weak to pose any real threat.

Inwardly, she thought about Nnoitra's sadistic, callous, and maniacal personality, one she had openly scorned and humiliated. His resentment had always been there, simmering under the surface, yet she had never taken it seriously. Now, with Esteban's words echoing in her mind, she found herself reevaluating her previous assumptions.

However, tension crackled in the air as Esteban's simmering anger suddenly erupted after detecting her deep animosity toward him. He didn't know why it affected him so much.

His gaze blazed fiercely at Nelliel as he shouted, "What was I supposed to do, huh? You all plotted against me first, ganged up against me, tried to bind me in chains, and later finish me off. I did nothing wrong! Or do you think my existence itself is a mistake?", As he spoke, a gust of wind picked up, causing the loose dust and debris around them to swirl. It was as if the environment was responding to his rising anger.

He heaved, the outburst draining him momentarily, but his indignation rekindled, fuelling his strength, "Is it my fault that the vortex of my creation happened? Is it my fault that I then followed my Hollow nature and consumed the souls of weaker Hollows to survive, to evolve? Is survival a sin now?", His words echoed throughout the shattered landscape, a raw testament of his resentment.

An acrid laugh escaped him, his voice dripping with bitterness, "Your 'order' in Hueco Mundo... It's a pathetic fairy tale, Nelliel. You're too naive, too idealistic. Do you think you can curb the primal, selfish instincts of a Hollow? Suppress our inherent nature with order and control?", His tone turned scornful, "Order, control... they are nothing but shackles. The only thing worth anything is freedom."

A mix of resentment and hurt reflected in his eyes as he said, "Your cherished fairy tale will crumble to dust once that Soul Reaper you blindly follow betrays you all. And yes, we are Hollows, yet you let a Soul Reaper lead you, acting against your own kind... Against me for no reason! I could've really died today you bastards!", A note of pain and loneliness laced his words.

However, the anger in his voice subsided slightly, replaced by a bold assertion, "I will take over this realm one day, Nelliel. And you, you'll be mine.", He stated, his primal Hollow instincts sparking his possessive claim.

Nevertheless, his words hung heavily in the air, before his tone softened, as if he was giving her another chance, "Join me now, Nelliel, yes I know your name already.", He proposed earnestly,

"I will ascend to become the most formidable creature in existence. And despite everything, despite your attempts to kill me, I appreciate you. Your warrior nature, beauty, your strength, and your potential, all intrigue me. I can't help but admire you.",

However, the first one to respond this time was Grimmjow with a laugh, "You've got to be kidding me, freak!", He drawled out, his grin wild and his eyes brimming with contempt, "You waltz into our realm, kill a few weaklings, and think you're the king now?"

Grimmjow's fists clenched, a low growl rumbling in his chest. His predatory gaze never left Esteban, "You're just another obstacle in my path to the top, nothing more."

Esteban turned his gaze to Grimmjow, his lips curling in an amused smirk, "An obstacle? Me? You must be hallucinating...", He retorted dismissively, "You can't even touch me. Your arrogance is hilarious. You're not even qualified to talk to me, to be honest, that's why I wasn't addressing you in the first place but her instead."

Grimmjow's blue eyes flashed with unrestrained fury at Esteban's insult. A snarl etched itself onto his face, and he made a mental note, swearing inwardly to improve his strength in the future and pay everything back, "You're one to talk about arrogance, freak. Just wait and see, I'll crush you under my foot!", His menacing words echoed in the field, vowing a future showdown.

And in the midst of the escalating argument between Grimmjow and Esteban, Nelliel found herself caught in a web of quiet introspection which was why she remained silent. As the two argued, their words began to fade into the background, their voices turning into a low, indistinct hum. Her gaze remained fixed on Esteban, a flood of new emotions welling up within her.

Before today, ever since there were first sightings of him, she had thought of him as a monstrous aberration, a freak of nature whose sole purpose was to wreak havoc and destruction.

She had thought of him previously as a creature devoid of emotions, driven by a mindless, bloodthirsty urge to kill. But now, as she listened to his words, as she saw the flashes of raw emotions flickering in his eyes, she felt a jolt of realization.

He wasn't the abomination she had pegged him for. He was capable of reasoning, of arguing, of making proclamations. He possessed a brash audacity that she found both unsettling and strangely captivating.

And most astonishing of all, he had professed affection for her. Despite their brief encounter, despite her intentions to end his life, he had reached out to her in his own twisted way.

As the realization washed over her, Nelliel took in Esteban's figure once more. His large frame, though bruised and battered, still held a commanding presence. His face, marked by the aftermath of their fight, possessed an attractiveness she hadn't noticed before.

And underneath it all, there was a profound loneliness that seeped from him. It was in his eyes, his words, his entire demeanor. It was a sight that tugged at her, stirring a foreign sensation within her, 'He carries so much hidden loneliness... So much emotion...', She thought, her heart fluttering with a strange sympathy.

There was an unexpected softness in her chest as she observed him. It was a feeling she couldn't quite comprehend, an emotion she had never expected to feel towards this... creature. She found herself drawn into the vortex of his loneliness, the vulnerability he unintentionally exuded.

As she reflected on her previous judgments, Nelliel felt a pang of regret, 'Could I have been wrong about him? Could I, one of the strongest Espada, have misunderstood someone so badly...', The question echoed in her mind, leaving her at a loss. She found herself unable to form a concrete answer, not at this moment.

It was a question she couldn't answer. Not now, at least. For the moment, she remained silent, her thoughts a maelstrom of confusion and shock. All the while, her eyes remained locked on Esteban, the lonely figure amidst the arguing duo.

As Esteban and Grimmjow continued their heated exchange, Esteban's attention was quietly drawn towards Nelliel's introspective silence. He noticed the uncertainty in her gaze, the way her eyes lingered on him. There was a sense of satisfaction in him as he observed her deep in thought, 'She's not a bad woman at all...', Esteban concluded internally.

In his mind, a plan was shaping up. He knew it was not the right time for her to join him, especially not before Aizen had enhanced her powers further with his perfected Hogyoku. His thought process was interrupted by the manifestation of a portal, an exit he had created for himself by gently tapping the air.

Ignoring Grimmjow's reactions, he focused his attention on Nelliel, "Seeing you so deep in thought, I'll give you some more time to ponder over my offer...", He said. His lips curved up into a teasing grin.

"I'll return sometime later to see what you've decided.", There was a moment of pause before he finally added, "I'm Esteban Vortice, by the way.", With those words and a cheeky grin, he stepped into the portal, leaving behind the scene of their battle.

Nelliel, however, continued to gaze blankly at the spot where he had vanished, her thoughts still lingering on the recent encounter. As Esteban's portal closed behind him, Nelliel found herself swept up in a maelstrom of thoughts. She looked at the space where he had been moments ago, her gaze lingering on the residual rift in the air.

His worldview was so starkly different from hers, so much rawer, and yet there was a strange appeal to it. It was a crude honesty that clashed with the structured beliefs she held, challenging her own perceptions.

The most puzzling aspect was his inexplicable fascination towards her, despite their hostile interactions. It was a puzzle that pulled at her thoughts, intriguing her more than she cared to admit, a curiosity gnawing at her that she couldn't simply ignore. She felt slightly lost, a sensation she quickly tried to shake off as Grimmjow started speaking to her again.

Regaining her composure, Nelliel turned serious, nodding at Grimmjow's words. They had to take care of Zommari, and their deceased comrades, and they needed to return to Las Noches. Their mission had been a complete failure and Ulquiorra would need to be informed. With one last glance at the spot where Esteban had disappeared, Nelliel joined Grimmjow.

"Esteban Vortice...", Sometime later during their journey back, Nelliel's murmur was soft, her words barely more than a whisper as they carried across the empty field. Her words were imbued with the weight of the encounter they'd just had. Bathed in the moonlight, her figure stood out sharply against the bleak landscape.

The light, reflecting on her emerald-green hair matched the shimmer in her eyes. They brimmed with a swirl of emotions - confusion, curiosity, and something else she couldn't quite name yet. Nelliel, in her moment of solitude and contemplation, appeared even more beautiful and intriguing, casting a captivating contrast against the harsh landscape outside.